1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for driving a self-propelled robot.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional driving apparatus employed in a robot. The driving apparatus includes a drive shaft 2 rotatably mounted at both ends thereof to bracket members 1a fixed to a bottom surface of a robot body 1 of the robot. A drive wheel 4 is fixedly mounted on the drive shaft 2. A first gear 3 is also fixedly mounted on the drive shaft 2 at one side of the drive wheel 4. The first gear 3 receives a drive force from a drive motor 5 so as to rotate the drive wheel 4.
In other words, the drive force from the drive motor 5 is transmitted to a worm 5a integrally formed with a rotation shaft of the drive motor 5, thereby causing the worm 5a to rotate clockwise or anticlockwise. By the rotation of the worm 5a, a gear 7 which is engaged with the worm 5a is rotated. The rotation of gear 7 causes a rotation of a second gear 6 which is concentrically fixed to the gear 7 and engaged with the first gear 3. As a result, the first gear 3 rotates, so that the drive wheel 4 rotates to move the robot forward and backward.
Since a plurality of drive wheels 4 are provided at the bottom surface of robot body 10, such a conventional robot driving apparatus actually needs individual driving units for driving the drive wheels 4. As a result, the conventional robot driving apparatus has a problem of an increase in manufacture cost, because of its complex overall construction and its complicated assembling work.
Where an overload such as an impact is externally applied to the robot driving apparatus, it is directly transmitted to the drive motor. As a result, the drive motor may be frequently out of order. In severe cases, the worm 5a and the gear 7 may be damaged, thereby causing the robot to be disabled.